PART 1
After immensely enjoying our Coron trip earlier this year, Puerto Princesa is another must-see place for me. It is home to the famed underground river, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Fortunately my wife May, together with her social enterprise partners Chingbee and Karisse chanced upon discounted promo airfare to Palawan by TigerAir. Their group trip would serve as a brainstorming/ planning of sorts and RR as well. Researching online, they were also able to find a quaint place to stay with reasonable rates. The date was set for the trip.
Booking another ticket for me was all that was needed to join this trip.
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Puerto Princesa
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Welcome arch of the country's cleanest and greenest city. Stiff penalties for littering are imposed by the city.
Upon arriving,, we were fetched from the airport by a "jumbo" jeepney driven by an amiable "jumbo" driver & tourist guide named Bobby.
We were booked at Puerto Pension Inn located on Malvar Street. The inn's native-inspired look and use of natural materials on the interiors added a homely-island feel as opposed to plain concrete and steel establishments. Puerto Pension is also a member of the Palawan-based hotels and resorts called the Frontier Group (FG) actively participating under the Zero Carbon Resort (ZCR) Project.
May alights from the oversized jeepney
Puerto Pension's top floor houses Cafe Tribu where you can view the baywalk and the surrounding areas as well. Breakfast is served here.
May poses for me as we settle into our room.
Mini bar at the garden
This floating flower arrangement at the reception area caught our eyes.
After settling in, next on our itinerary was a half-day city tour. Puerto Pension booked this and our underground river trip. Advance booking is a must on some tours in order to accomodate the numerous tourists in the city and crowd moderation in some sites.
A van soon arrived where we joined other tourists on this tour. Plaza Cuartel was our first stop.
According to our tour guide Cecile, Plaza Cuartel was a garrison during WW II where American POWs were killed by the Japanese. 150 Americans were forced to go down a tunnel where gasoline was poured and set ablazed by the captors. Only 11 managed ro survive including Don Schloat who made a scupture as a tribute to his fallen comrades.
2 kids at play oblivious to our tour group
The tunnel entrance where the POWs were sent to their doom.
Don Schloat's sculpture to his fallen comrades.
Close-up
Site marker
Right across Plaza Cuartel is the Immaculate Conception Cathedral were we made a quick visit.
Church facade
Church interior
Our next stop was 2 souvenir shops. Apparently city tours incorporate stops such as these to make sure that tourists patronize reputable souvenir shops and maybe increase their commission as well. The first shop was at Mercado de San Miguel where May bought some take-home gifts.
Cultured pearls above. The much more expensive South Sea pearls are also available.
May browsing thru myriads of key chains, ref magnets, paper weights, etc.
Cashew nuts adorn souvenir shop as well but May and company decided to buy the nuts at the local palengke where prices are cheaper
The other shop was at LRC 908 Market Mall where the products were almost the same as the first store. But I gravitated towards this shop which sold wood works patterned after native Tagbanwa style.
Smiling good luck suns
Store front showing the various wood crafts it offered.
Mini masks adorned the wall
Totem styled masks
Statues and other carvings
The Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center or more popularly knowned as the Crocodile Farm was next on our trip.
Signage
The tour here starts at the museum where the remains of Rio, the biggest crocodile in captivity (before Lolong) is shown. The hide is shown at the wall while the skeleton is housed in a glass cabinet.
Rio's massive skull.
Good thing I chanced upon this guy trying to take a shot at Rio's skull. You can see how big this crocodile was.
The farm has enclosures for different sized crocs. Adults fill up this pen.
Eyes open and mouth agape.
From the PWRCC, we proceeded to the late Senator Ramon Mitra's ranch, which overlooks Honda Bay. The ranch house used to be open-to-the-public but is now closed. Aside from the magnificent view, zipline and horseback riding are available here.
May, Cecile (our tour guide} and Chingbee poses in front of the ranch house.
Ranch ground
The 3 islands in Honda Bay
Last on our city trip was Baker's Hill. It is a privately owned piece of land that originally just started out as a bakery. When the popularity of the bakery took off, the owner decided to turn the rest of the area into a miniature amusement park of sorts.
Residences within the compound.
The garden where a big sign of Baker's Hill is installed. The place was being adorned with Christmas decorations as the Yule season approaches.
One of the big floating flower arrangement there.
Effigies abound. Santa and a baker welcome tourists to the grounds.
The big Christmas tree made out of recyclable green PET bottles.
Marilyn waiting to be photographed.
After buying the well known hopias and other delicacies from the bakery, we headed home for quick rest before going out for dinner.
